getting closer to the gates
Non-subsequent day two of my dessert-shop-hopping I went to this little shop that seems to be hidden beyond a corridor, located right next to a shoe repair.
Chokolait
Shop 8, 318 Little Collins Street
Their specialty is the pavlova, but they sell these cute expensive-as-hell chocolate boxes.
The red ones kinda scare me. How much food colouring did they use? But as long as it's pretty xD
Pretty limited range, at first glance. But then they have this menu and it actually has a lot of variety. But I came here for the pavlova, and pavlova I got.
Look at that baby. It's really big too; maybe a slice from a 22cm diameter cake? No, larger than that. I should've probably brought a ruler with me, but somehow my rulers always end up missing - I think there's a ruler-eating goblin in my humble apartment; I sure hope it's enjoying itself because I am not.
Back to the pavlova. A-m-a-z-i-n-g. The first bite and I fell in love. So let me describe it in detail, a la Masterchef (which, idk, is like the most Serious Business TV show in Melbourne like I don't follow it religiously myself orz).
First crack with a spoon, there's this light crispy meringue crust that literally melts in your mouth. There are some uneven parts that don't melt in your mouth, but that makes it better, somehow. Something to chew on. It's not too sweet and very very light and it's like fluffy cloud egg white heaven. Then, then inside that crust is some sort of soft meringue - slightly marshmallow-y, but not as sweet and not as marshmallow-y, because it's meringue, and it's slightly spongier - and it has chocolate dots and chocolate cookie pieces all over it. The cookie bites are gooey and sticky and chocolate-y well, duh but it's not that sweeeet, it's more like dark chocolate. And chewy. And gives wonderful texture. It's seriously heaven. And the pavlova's topping is like this light-ish, but still heavy cream - not sweet, which is wonderful - and the thickness of that offsets the lightness of the meringue. And the strawberries - and there's a ton - are fresh and sweet and sour and aaaaa it makes you fall in love. There's too much of the cream, though, haha. It's left piling on the side of the plate after I'm done.
To quote a friend, it's like angels having sex in my mouth. $9.95 is a little high, but I'd say it was worth it, because that cake alone is enough to act as both breakfast and lunch. So fulfilling.
I'd definitely visit Chokolait again after I finish shop-hopping. Not only for the cakes - although there's this warm mud cake I'd love to try - but also for the atmosphere, because it's a classy little shop that plays jazz and piano lounge music just loud enough to hear but not to disturb, and the staff's really friendly. I think it's owned by a husband and wife couple? Because the barista and the cashier had this sweetheart dynamic that's really sweet to watch, and Chokolait seems like the sort of cafe that one would like to have after one retires. It's not in a busy city place either; rather at the end of a corridor and very cozy. Perfect for just curling up and reading or doodling - they even have these plushie-looking sofas.
So that's like, two restaurants out of, I don't know, A THOUSAND? And I haven't even started main course yet.
Chokolait
Shop 8, 318 Little Collins Street
Their specialty is the pavlova, but they sell these cute expensive-as-hell chocolate boxes.
The red ones kinda scare me. How much food colouring did they use? But as long as it's pretty xD
Pretty limited range, at first glance. But then they have this menu and it actually has a lot of variety. But I came here for the pavlova, and pavlova I got.
Look at that baby. It's really big too; maybe a slice from a 22cm diameter cake? No, larger than that. I should've probably brought a ruler with me, but somehow my rulers always end up missing - I think there's a ruler-eating goblin in my humble apartment; I sure hope it's enjoying itself because I am not.
Back to the pavlova. A-m-a-z-i-n-g. The first bite and I fell in love. So let me describe it in detail, a la Masterchef (which, idk, is like the most Serious Business TV show in Melbourne like I don't follow it religiously myself orz).
First crack with a spoon, there's this light crispy meringue crust that literally melts in your mouth. There are some uneven parts that don't melt in your mouth, but that makes it better, somehow. Something to chew on. It's not too sweet and very very light and it's like fluffy cloud egg white heaven. Then, then inside that crust is some sort of soft meringue - slightly marshmallow-y, but not as sweet and not as marshmallow-y, because it's meringue, and it's slightly spongier - and it has chocolate dots and chocolate cookie pieces all over it. The cookie bites are gooey and sticky and chocolate-y well, duh but it's not that sweeeet, it's more like dark chocolate. And chewy. And gives wonderful texture. It's seriously heaven. And the pavlova's topping is like this light-ish, but still heavy cream - not sweet, which is wonderful - and the thickness of that offsets the lightness of the meringue. And the strawberries - and there's a ton - are fresh and sweet and sour and aaaaa it makes you fall in love. There's too much of the cream, though, haha. It's left piling on the side of the plate after I'm done.
To quote a friend, it's like angels having sex in my mouth. $9.95 is a little high, but I'd say it was worth it, because that cake alone is enough to act as both breakfast and lunch. So fulfilling.
I'd definitely visit Chokolait again after I finish shop-hopping. Not only for the cakes - although there's this warm mud cake I'd love to try - but also for the atmosphere, because it's a classy little shop that plays jazz and piano lounge music just loud enough to hear but not to disturb, and the staff's really friendly. I think it's owned by a husband and wife couple? Because the barista and the cashier had this sweetheart dynamic that's really sweet to watch, and Chokolait seems like the sort of cafe that one would like to have after one retires. It's not in a busy city place either; rather at the end of a corridor and very cozy. Perfect for just curling up and reading or doodling - they even have these plushie-looking sofas.
So that's like, two restaurants out of, I don't know, A THOUSAND? And I haven't even started main course yet.